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Productivity / Performance

Performance record essential to defeat FMLA interference claims

01/20/2026
Employers can’t interfere with the right of an employee to take FMLA leave if that employee qualifies. But what if the employee has documented performance problems prior to leave? Can the employer still discipline the employee if that discipline would have been appropriate had the employee not requested leave?

Rethinking workplace diversity: Why thought matters

01/12/2026
Cognitive diversity, defined as the range of expertise, experiences, information, perspectives and ways of thinking within a team, drives the performance gains companies seek.

How to respond when half your team is burned out

12/05/2025
Burnout continues to surge across U.S. workplaces, with new data from Eagle Hill Consulting showing that 55% of employees are currently experiencing it. For HR professionals, the findings highlight an urgent need to guide managers, stabilize teams and address the structural issues fueling employee exhaustion.

Purpose at work emerges as a hidden driver of engagement

11/24/2025
A new national study suggests that employers may be overlooking one of the clearest predictors of engagement: whether employees feel a sense of purpose in their daily work.

Study claims productivity could jump 10% with improved performance management

11/10/2025
Productivity isn’t lagging for lack of effort—it’s stalled by ineffective systems. According to new research from WTW, nearly half of organizations say productivity could rise by at least 10% if they optimized their performance-management processes. Yet only 39% believe their current programs meet employee expectations for clarity, fairness and alignment with rewards.

How to set up a mentorship program to drive career development

11/03/2025
No matter the level, all employees (including yourself, of course) can benefit from finding a mentor before making a workplace blunder. Here’s how HR departments can implement an official mentoring program.

Resistance over return-to-office mandates intensifies

10/06/2025
A new survey from FlexJobs, an employment-finding service, shows employee resistance to return-to-office mandates has reached a breaking point.

What 4-day workweek trials reveal about work, well-being and productivity

08/18/2025
The four-day workweek has long been viewed as a bold experiment—but recent global trials led by economist Juliet Schor suggest it might also be a smart business move.

Detailed personnel records defeat bias claim

07/28/2025
Employers who keep detailed personnel records that include objective, fact-driven performance reviews often win discrimination lawsuits soon after the employee sues.

Documenting performance? Better date-stamp and retain

07/07/2025
Whether deleted by accident or because the employer lacks clear rules about what to toss and what to keep, having to admit to a judge that you don’t have a document may mean big fines and penalties, up to and including having the lawsuit become an automatic win for a fired worker.